Royal Thai AF, PACAF build upon strong partnership

Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai air force Chief Air Marshal
Chaiyapruk Didyasarin, and U.S. Air Force Commander of Pacific Air
Forces (PACAF), Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., salute the honor cordon during a
visit to Headquarters PACAF, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii,
Oct. 29, 2018. This trip was Chaiyapruk’s first official visit outside
of Thailand since taking command. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt.
Hailey Haux)

This trip was Chaiyapruk’s first official visit outside of Thailand since taking office in early October.

“It’s great to have Air Chief Marshal Chaiyapruk and the rest of his
delegation visit PACAF,” Brown said. “It’s very important that he was
able to come here as a key partner within the region.”

While on the island, the ACM and his delegation received a barge tour of
Pearl Harbor and visited Indo-Pacific Command where they had
discussions with Adm. Phil Davidson, INDOPACOM commander.

Brown hosted an office call with Chaiyapruk in which they discussed
opportunities to enhance the relationship between the two countries’ air
forces, the F-16 Fighting Falcon midlife upgrade, the Washington Air
National Guard – Thailand’s National Guard state partner – and the
importance of a free and open Indo-Pacific.

“We also talked about space, cyber capabilities, how we look at a free
and open Indo-Pacific, and continue to work together for the security of
the region,” Brown said.
The two countries celebrated 200 years since initial contact between the
King of Siam and the U.S. president, and two centuries of friendship
between the two nations, making Thailand the United States’ oldest ally
in Asia. The two air forces continue to build on that long-term
relationship through exercises like Cope Tiger and Cobra Gold.

“It’s part of our readiness, it’s part of how we strengthen our allies
and partners across the region … we’ve had relative peace for the past
70 years, the goal is to have relative peace for the next 70 years, and
you can’t do that by just thinking about today,” emphasized Brown.

This year, Thailand and the U.S. co-hosted the 37th iteration of Cobra
Gold in February, which was the largest multilateral military exercise
in the Indo-Pacific region, comprised of more than two dozen
participating nations. While it emphasized humanitarian assistance and
disaster relief, the overall mission was to expand regional cooperation
and collaboration at all levels.

"I think the real value is not just the relationship I personally have
with my counterparts within the region; it’s how all of our Airmen have
relationships with our partners in the region,” Brown said. “The
relationships our Airmen build with the Royal Thai air force are just as
important as the relationship I have with Air Chief Marshal
Chaiyapruk.”
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